Hauling Mail

[mpossoff]

Hi all,

I'm contemplating applying for an extra driver in my area for a mail contractor doing weekend work.

Would like to hear the good and the bad about driving for a mail contractor.

God Bless!

Marc

[pro1driver]

Originally Posted by mpossoff

Hi all,

I'm contemplating applying for an extra driver in my area for a mail contractor doing weekend work.

Would like to hear the good and the bad about driving for a mail contractor.

God Bless!

Marc

although i do not know of your particular area, "over here" we have a few mail contractors. one in particular, doesn't pay bene's........

and if you call out sick.........you can stay home for good.........

also, if you will be late getting to work.............turn around and go home

that's how he treats his drivers..........

[Cerberus_Kelpie]

The "extra board" is just that and one CAN SPECIFY when one is to be available with the usual reduced offers.
There are Mail Contractors everywhere and the pay is usually from $18.00-$23.00 an hour and typically as pro1driver stated "without benefits".
The MAIN benefit is usually the paycheck.

The runs are contracted for specific times:
From Greensboro, NC to Newark, N.J., driving time is contracted @ 10 hours.
ALL TIME beyond that is FREE regardless of waiting time to get unloaded.
--I did such a run 5 times during the christ-mess rush last year at $19.00 an hour and the LAST RUN I waited 5.5 hours to get unloaded (which put me OVER 14 hours) at the first of 2 stops--

There are some runs that have excessive time to get to the destination(s), yet normally there is NOT ENOUGH time allowed to safely and legally complete said runs.

I met one Driver (during last christ-mess rush) that was given 12 hours to run 750 miles with 2 pick up points and 2 delivery points. He was NEVER on time because it was impossible yet that was the way it was contracted.

BE VERY CAREFUL as some of these runs are not able to be legally logged and the Mail service contracts DO NOT ALLOW for breaks!!

Some people will say different yet the majority will agree.
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You'll find more information here

[housecat]

Cerberus is right about that. I've hauled mail and they told me not to worry about being pulled over and checked because we were hauling a "Federal Contract Load" and that mail loads had "priority" because it is federal time sensitive freight. They couldn't ask you to drive over, but the post offices and dc's want their mail then want you out. If I wasn't scheduled to work, they called anyway. (Even during a close family members funeral) The loads have to be covered regardless of whether it's driver shows up or not. We were union and had great benefits-slept in hotels for our breaks and the pay was great. The expectations are tremendous though. Good Luck in whatever you decide!

[Cerberus_Kelpie]

Originally Posted by housecat

Cerberus is right about that. I've hauled mail and they told me not to worry about being pulled over and checked because we were hauling a "Federal Contract Load" and that mail loads had "priority" because it is federal time sensitive freight. They couldn't ask you to drive over, but the post offices and dc's want their mail then want you out. If I wasn't scheduled to work, they called anyway. (Even during a close family members funeral) The loads have to be covered regardless of whether it's driver shows up or not. We were union and had great benefits-slept in hotels for our breaks and the pay was great. The expectations are tremendous though. Good Luck in whatever you decide!

That part though is FALSE as ANY DRIVER regardless (unless accompanied by Military escort) ARE SUBJECT to be pulled over AND to be pulled 'round back at ANY Coop!!
I was pulled 'round back in Virginia on N.B. I-85 (Alberta) on a mail run so the Coop folk could look at the Lease agreement for the Rental I was driving.
The D.O.T. and the F.M.C.S.R. DO NOT RECOGNIZE mail haulers as "special".

[grocery thrower]

Whats the fascination with hauling mail? I have seen lots of threads on this subject, I don't get it, whats so good about it, from this thread alone I wouldn't want to do it, unless I worked for the postal service directly.